title: Identification and quantification of explosives in nanolitre solution volumes by Raman spectroscopy in suspended core optical fibers.
abstract: A novel approach for identifying explosive species is reported, using Raman spectroscopy in suspended core optical fibers. Numerical simulations are presented that predict the strength of the observed signal as a function of fiber geometry, with the calculated trends verified experimentally and used to optimize the sensors. This technique is used to identify hydrogen peroxide in water solutions at volumes less than 60 nL and to quantify microgram amounts of material using the solvent's Raman signature as an internal calibration standard. The same system, without further modifications, is also used to detect 1,4-dinitrobenzene, a model molecule for nitrobenzene-based explosives such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT).
authors.affiliation: Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing and School of Chemistry & Physics, the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia. georgios.tsiminis@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsiminis
authors.forename: Fenghong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Warren-Smith
authors.forename: Nigel A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Spooner
authors.forename: Tanya M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Monro
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012996:Solutions; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents; D012996:Solutions